Tungsten hexafluoride is a stable compound which melts at about 2.5.degree. C. and boils at about 17.5.degree. C. It is useful in applications such as the production of metallic surface coatings on electronic components such as chips, integrated circuits, memories and the like. For such purposes the compound desirably is brought to a high state of purity since certain impurities can have deleterious effects upon the operation of electronic components. Impurities present in crude tungsten hexafluoride can include sulfur hexafluoride, carbon tetrafluoride, hydrogen fluoride, fluorine, uranium, thorium, sodium, etc. Tungsten hexafluoride may be produced for example, by reacting metallic tungsten with fluorine as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/476,232 and filed Feb. 7, 1990, which is incorporated herein by reference. Tungsten contains a number of impurities in varying concentrations and fluorine is an extremely reactive element which is difficult to obtain in a pure state. Impurities contained in the raw materials and otherwise picked up in the synthesis reactions report in the product tungsten hexafluoride. The impurities to be removed have varying solubilities in liquid or solid tungsten hexafluoride and exhibit varying vapor pressures.